The present invention relates to ski bindings and more particularly to a ski binding assembly of a type including means for initiating release within the binding in order to prevent or minimize injuries, especially in the lower extremities of the skier.
In view of the increasing popularity of snow skiing, a wide variety of ski bindings has been developed and made commercially available. However, even with improvement of such bindings, the increase in popularity and practice of snow skiing has been accompanied by an increase in injuries, especially in the lower extremities of skiers. Generally, ski injuries have tended to concentrate in the tibia, in the form of mid-length fracture as well as in the ankle and knee.
There has been a substantial effort to improve all types of ski equipment for minimizing such injuries including improvements in ski boots and skis themselves as well as in ski bindings. However, much effort directed toward the elimination or prevention of such injuries has concerned the binding since it has been found that release of the skier from the ski is one of the most effective means of protecting the skier during injury-provoking situations such as falls and the like.
A co-pending application entitled Method and Apparatus for Programmed Release in Ski Bindings, Ser. No. 162,413, filed Jun. 24, 1980 by Maury L. Hull, one of the inventors herein, is directed toward a method and apparatus for achieving programmed release in ski bindings through the operation of control circuits which may comprise for example either analog or digital components. The control circuit described in that application is programmed according to equations developed in a biomechanical model in order to adapt the control circuit for computing predetermined release variables and for comparing those release variables to release criterion in order to precisely generate a release initiating signal. Such a control circuit is preferably contemplated as a release actuating control means for the binding of the present invention.
However, the present invention is specifically directed toward components of the binding itself for securing the ski boot to the ski and for facilitating release therebetween in response to a suitable control means. In this regard, it has been found that ski bindings presently available do not adequately provide for release between the ski boot and ski under the wide variety of injury-provoking situations which may occur during falls and the like.